Beyond the Blaze
by The Derpite
Summary: Set just before Smaug's attack on Erebor (extending until pretty far after the dwarves' return) featuring OC Raena Marblefounder x Thorin. Has little Fili and Kili; 1st person, so basically everything that any fic reader hates, but somehow I'm hoping you'll enjoy it. There's some humor, some arrows to the knee, lots of walking. But also other cool stuff. Like battles. Thank *bows*
1. Chapter 1

The morning chill cut through my sleep and I woke with a start. It was almost as if someone had shaken me awake, but the room was empty except for me. I sat up, gathering my blanket around myself, and surveyed the room. I just wanted to go back to sleep but that wasn't an option. I had a living to make and it wasn't going to come by itself.

I shivered violently as I ripped the covers off of myself. The cave like room was drafty in the morning and I got dressed quickly to avoid any further chills. I grabbed my gloves, tools, and apron before checking myself in the mirror. I didn't look my best, but I was apparently a rare beauty among dwarves, so I didn't worry too much.

I raced out the door and down a series of long corridors lined with doors; doors to the rooms of my fellow female dwarves. It was still a bit of a mystery to me as to why we were so well protected within the fort, but it did ease my mind. I could feel something coming. I didn't know what, but I knew it would happen soon. Maybe our precautions would be for the best.

It was two staircases before I got to the main door. I opened it, letting in the warmth of the inner chamber as well as the roar of the already hard at work dwarves. I took a deep breath in before closing the door to the chamber and entering the main hall. Dwarves of all shapes and sizes (although mostly short and stout) bustled around. Men left and women scoffed, several of the older ones feeling underprivileged, but I knew that they were all grateful for the protection the men offered us.

I turned away from the great doors and made my way farther into the mountain, heading immediately for the armory and blacksmith district. Barely anyone looked at me; dwarves hardly ever looked at each other. We had more pressing things on our minds.

A loud whooping caught my attention as Tad and Ruro raced around a corner, bags of no doubt stolen goods in their arms. They whooped a greeting as they passed me and I laughed. They were a couple of idiots, but at least they were still courteous.

"Need any help in the armory Raena? I'm sure Ruro would love to help!" Tad jested, nudging Ruro in the shoulder and making him go red in the cheeks.

"Oh hush Tad," he said quietly and sent me a shy smile, his face still red.

I laughed. "Come by any time," I said, not sure what I was doing but having a feeling it probably should have been thought out a bit more. Tad hollered again and ran off. Ruro looked at me apologetically before chasing after Tad. I laughed again and continued toward the armory. Perhaps that day wouldn't be as crummy as I already had it worked out in my head to be.

I was right about my day. It shaped up to be a pretty good one; I didn't get any burns so that was a bonus. I worked in the metal works of Erebor making weapons of war for whatever time we might need them. I had one project in particular that I finished that day; a sword plated with silver and made with only the highest quality steel. It was a weapon I had made especially for the king on request. No sooner than I had finished it, a smaller than average dwarf whisked it away to present to the king. That's how it always seemed to happen. I wrapped up my tools in my leather sack and put out the fire, placing the bellows against the wall.

I stood up and turned around, almost letting out a scream but catching it in my throat. I gasped in surprise.

"Ruro! I didn't expect you to come," I said and he smiled, trying to hide this mysterious nervousness he had about him.

"I just wanted to apologize. Tad," he said, "doesn't quite know when to shut his mouth," he said, his soft tone laced with humiliated venom. "I'm sorry if he embarrassed you at all today," he finished.

"Why would I have been embarrassed? He was just poking a bit of fun, right?" I said and Ruro nodded.

"Can I help you with your things?" he asked, taking the heavy tool bag from me before I even had time to answer him.

"I suppose that would all be well," I said and walked past him through the door, closing it when he was through. "Did you have a pleasant day?" I asked, sympathetic for the poor dwarf.

"Oh you know, the usual," he said and I nodded. We walked in silence past the great marble pillars that adorned every hallway and made our way down the jade steps. "Have you got anything going on tomorrow?" he asked finally and I looked at him. It was clear that he had been very unsure of the question before he asked it. It had taken quite a bit of courage to spit it out.

I almost answered his question immediately. Of course I had work; that was almost everyday except that... tomorrow was Sunday. I only ever sat around and relaxed on Sundays so perhaps it was time for a change.

"Nothing at all," I said. Ruro smiled shyly, again trying to build up the nerve to ask me something.

"Could I keep you company? I mean, if you haven't got a problem with that," he said.

"Of course you can keep me company. I have a couple of errands to run in the morning but-"

"I'll come with you," he volunteered. "If it's not any trouble," he tacked on.

"No," I said and he smiled as big as a dwarf can smile.

I nearly ran into the door to the dormitories but stopped just in time. I took my tools from Ruro's hands and went to open the door when I remembered my manners. I turned to face Ruro again but I really was ready to just fall asleep.

"Thank you for stopping by. I'll probably start my errands around dawn, if you'd like to meet me here then," I said. Of course, it wouldn't be actual dawn; dwarves didn't exactly see daylight very often, but we had very keen internal clocks and all had a general idea of when dawn was.

"I'll be here," he promised and stepped back a smidgen before looking back at me. "Can I walk you to your room?" he asked and I knew it was all in good faith, but those were the kinds of words that got you into trouble. It was strictly forbidden for a man to enter the women's dormitories, no matter if they were the king's grandson or not.

I smiled and shook my head. "You know better," I said and smiled sympathetically. I didn't mean to embarrass him, but he knew the rules. Besides, it hadn't been that big of a deal that I'd called him out. There was nobody there to hear us speaking. I had left the armory late as usual so it was only Ruro and I outside the door at the time.

"I know, but, it doesn't hurt to ask," he said timidly, bowing his head. I cautiously patted his shoulder.

"Good night Ruro," I said and he nodded, bowing low to the ground before turning around and heading back to wherever he had come from.

I turned around and almost gasped again as I had earlier, but this gasp was held in by fear of being scorned. I curtsied low upon seeing the man before me, bowing my head in reverence.

"Your Majesty, Raena Marblefounder at your service," I uttered humbly before standing again to face him.

"And Thorin son of Thrain at yours," he said, returning my curtsy with a bow. "Has my cousin been bothering you?" he asked sternly and I had a feeling that this was going to be a very rigid conversation.

"Not at all. His aim is only to serve me," I said, my language immediately shaping up for the better.

"Good. I would hate to have to punish him," he said. I couldn't help thinking that the phrase could have been said in many different ways than how he chose in order to make it sound less menacing, but then again, it fit the prince's personality just right.

"No need for punishment there," I said quietly and kept my head slightly bowed. I was in the presence of royalty; the heir to the throne even. Respect was necessary. I could feel his eyes on my face, despite my failure to look at him. There was a long pause before he spoke again.

"I've been told you're one of our best blacksmiths," he said and I looked up. That surprised me. I'd never been told such in my life. I let out a nervous laugh.

"Hardly," I said, but regretted it as soon as it came out of my mouth. It wasn't wise to disagree with the prince.

"Then I shall I have to find another for this job. I can't have anything less than perfect," he said and walked away.

I stood perplexed in the doorway. He just walked away. He didn't even give me a second chance; he just... left! Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately; it remains to be seen), I don't deal well with firebrands and I actually really needed another job if I expected to make a living for the next month. I dropped my tools where they were, my temper running short. Who was he to disrespect me? Aren't leaders supposed to serve their people, not the other way around?

I turned about face and called, "Master Thorin," but he continued walking. I knew he had heard me. My voice had echoed throughout the vast, empty hall for a good two seconds from the call.

If he was going to ignore me then it was about time to take matters into my own hands. I went after him, walking as quickly as my dwarf legs could take me. Luckily, he hadn't gotten far his own self, taking deep, slow strides to show his authority.

"Master Thorin," I said again when I was right behind him. He didn't even flinch.

A sudden anger boiled over inside me mixed with a certain worry of really not getting the job. In a flash or irrational judgment and terrified anger, I reached out my hand and grabbed his shoulder.

He stopped walking and I almost ran into him, stunned at what I had just done. I withdrew my hand faster than you can say "blunt the knives" and hid it behind me, frightened of what my action's consequences might be. He turned around and I stepped back a bit. I didn't want to be within reaching distance, but I needed this job more than he realized. I didn't bother putting my head down this time and instead looked him straight in the eyes. For a moment, I could have sworn I saw something there other than anger; astonishment, or perhaps pleasant fascination? It didn't matter though. Thorin's eyebrows lowered like shelves over his eyes in a flash.

He glared at me a moment, successfully putting me back in my place. I bowed my head, aware that this situation hadn't very good momentum going for it. For a second, I could have sworn I heard him growling with anger, but it was only for a second.

"I apologize," I said, broken thoughts trying to make their way out of my mouth, "for my brash attitude," I stuttered, pausing, "and for... handling Your Majesty... in such a manner... but I am one of the best blacksmiths," was I really? Who had told him? "and I will serve you with whatever needs you wish met," I finished shakily.

He took a deep breath, blowing it out in my direction and watching me squirm uncomfortably as it seemed to reach every last inch of my exposed skin. I don't know if he realized that I was being so profoundly affected by what he was doing, but part of me thought that he had to know. He wouldn't have done those things if he didn't know what they would do to me.

"Fine. I'll need you in there at dawn tomorrow as this assignment requires as great of haste possible. I know you won't disappoint me," he said, making it clear that this project was one of utmost importance. I almost wondered though if he had meant the last phrase sincerely... Thorin son of Thrain was turning out to be a much more interesting character than I had imagined.

I looked back up at him as he hadn't yet insulted me. But how could I know he would insult me? I had only just met him. I suppose I was just assuming too much, as usual. He was looking at me rather smugly but still with a hint of curiosity. He had won this psychological battle but was walking away with more questions than answers, no doubt.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said.

"I think Thorin will do," he said.

I almost choked. I was to call the prince by his first name? Well, perhaps he did this to everyone. The prince himself rarely dealt with the common people, so how was I to know? I tried to write it off as normal in order to make my way through the rest of this progressively awkward conversation.

"I'll keep that in mind," I said.

"Good. Be ready at dawn," he said.

"Yes, Your-" I caught myself, "Thorin."

He gave me a farewell bow and I returned it with a curtsy. He turned again and strode back to wherever he had come from. I stood there for a moment, recovering mentally from what had happened, before I went back to the dormitory door. I gathered my spilled tools and opened the door, making my way to my room as quickly as I could.


	2. Chapter 2

Since this is just the beginning of this story, I figured I would update a little sooner than usual so y'all can get a better feel for it :) that's all

thank

*bows*

Dawn. It wasn't for another half hour yet but my instructions were clear. I was to meet Thorin at dawn. My errands would have to wait. My errands and...

Ruro! How could I forget about our plans? I hoped he wouldn't be too devastated when he found out I'd stood him up. I resolved to leave him a note and hope it wasn't discovered by someone else before him. I wrote it quickly, grabbing parchment and a quill.

I tucked the paper into my satchel and grabbed a ribbon, pulling my hair back and into a messy bun. I put on my best blacksmithing clothes and apron before gathering my tools. I looked around my cell-ish room to be sure I wasn't missing anything. It appeared that I was as ready as I would ever be.

I sighed a long sigh before pulling on my boots and heading out the door. The hallway was silent and dark. I was the only person (female that is) awake at that hour. My boots on the stone floor were the only noise and they echoed fiercely through the hall. I was afraid I may wake up the entire mountain with my clacking.

It wasn't a moment later I reached the door to the main hall. I pushed it open and closed it as quietly as one can close a great stone door. I took the note from my satchel and placed it near the door. If I was right, there wouldn't be anyone up for a while and hopefully Ruro would be the first to come by this place.

I made toward my workspace, eager to get there before Thorin and perhaps have some time to set out my things. I found myself walking much faster than I had originally intended to and I was soon at my place. I opened the door, glad to feel the extra warmth pouring from the room as it opened.

Warmth?

I looked to the left to see Thorin's cloaked figure already standing at the fire. He turned to greet me, bowing respectfully. I curtsied back, unsure of his current emotion toward me.

"Thorin at your service," he said.

"And Raena at yours," I offered.

"Let us begin," he said. Us? I almost wondered the thought aloud. Would he be aiding me in making whatever item he needed? He shed his cloak and I mine. We hung them on the hooks by the door, awkwardly brushing arms. I glanced at the prince and him at me but I looked immediately from him to the floor, backing away a safe few steps. I felt his eyes on me once again.

"You need not be afraid of me," he said. "We'll never get anything done," he said. Pronouns again. Pronouns that implied he and I would be working together.

"What is this project anyway?" I asked.

"An axe," he said, "for the king," he clarified and grabbed a long piece of metal from a place near the fire. "It should be fashioned from a single piece of the purest steel," he said, hitting the metal against my anvil, "and made to last."

I stepped toward him and he held the metal out. I grabbed the shard with one hand but Thorin didn't let go.

"Careful; it's heavy," he said. We made eye contact when I didn't move to put my other hand on it. Didn't he realize I did this for a living? I was a blacksmith and I was stronger than most women my age. His nose twitched and he let go suddenly, hoping for me to have misjudged the weight and hear it tumble to the floor.

It didn't. I lifted it easily with my one hand, bringing the other to it only for inspection.

"It's almost too heavy, eh?" I asked.

Thorin looked at me confusedly. "What do you mean? All metal is heavy," he said, defending the piece of metal.

"Did you find this on your own, or did someone find it for you?" I asked.

He seemed rather flustered at my question. "I don't have time for your queries. Tell me your mind," he said. I couldn't tell if he had found it himself, but my better guess was that he hadn't, but had spent a great deal of money on telling someone else to do it.

"Well, if you don't mind me saying," I paused and he looked at me to continue, "it's really not that great of a piece of metal. Not even steel at all, if I don't say so. That's why it's so heavy," I commented. "Steel would be much lighter. It's a purified form of iron," I said and threw the metal into the scrap pile.

"Are you suggesting we find something different?"

I nodded. "It's not a suggestion though; it's a requirement," I said. I wasn't going to use an old piece of iron to make an axe for the king with the prince. If this was so important, I was determined to do it right.

"Very well, I will have someone fetch another."

"Trusting your work to the hands of the inexperienced isn't the wisest choice. It's best you find it yourself," I said, not realizing that it probably looked like I was trying to trip him up. The prince could wield a weapon better than any other dwarf I knew, but chances were slim that he was in the same skill at weapon making. "Or," I said, trying to make a swift recovery, "you could take someone who knows what they're doing with you." Had that done it? I hoped so.

"Fine," he said, thinking for a moment. "We'll go together," he finished and grabbed each of our cloaks off their hooks. He draped mine around my shoulders before I could say anything. It was the gentlemanly thing to do after all, and I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. It seemed too that Thorin was a bit surprised at his own actions. He backed away and put on his cloak, wrenching open the door and leaving, not only the room, but his manners behind.

I followed him, adjusting my cloak and then closing the door behind us. He led me deep into the mountain, knowing the fortress that would one day be his like the back of his hand. It was apparent, however, that he wasn't sure how to get to the specific areas within the mining district.

"Rags," I yelled down the corridor, startling the prince, "where's your newest iron vein?"

"It's not open to the public yet," he shouted back.

"We're not exactly the public though," I said.

"Who's that?" he said.

"It's the-"

Thorin cut me off. "I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror," he bellowed, approaching Rags. I followed after him, shooting apologetic glances at Rags. "You will show us to this vein presently," he said, walking right up to Rags, standing practically nose to nose. It was actually more like nose to forehead as Thorin was a great deal taller than most dwarves.

"Of course, you're Majesty. Ragnar at your service," he stuttered, bowing. "Just this way," he said gesturing and leading us on. I stayed close behind Thorin, not wanting to get lost in the confusing levels that the mine could be.

We twisted and turned deeper into the mountain. It felt like miles before we had finally reached the iron vein, but I knew we had barely scratched the surface of the area the dwarves had mined so far. Thorin turned around suddenly while we walked and slowed to be by my side.

"Don't _you_ have any steel? You're a smithy for goodness sake," he said, putting a certain degrading emphasis on the word 'smithy'.

"None of my steel is nearly what you're looking for. We need the purest steel in order to get the best axe out of this," I said, trying to ignore his humiliation. "And that requires us starting at the beginning of the process."

Thorin gave me a skeptical glare which I would soon be accustomed to. This was the start of a series of months in which I all but lived and ate with the prince while working on this axe. The prince was obviously not partial to me in the beginning, practically ignoring my presence unless he was really stumped by something.

About three weeks into our project, I came into my shop early to fix some hammering Thorin had done the day before. I didn't want him to know that I was trying to fix his work because I was sure it would get me some sort of scolding. I started the fire up immediately and spent ten minutes warming my hands beside it. It was no good blacksmithing if I had cold hands.

The fire warmed me up quickly and I grabbed the crude looking axe, throwing it in the fire. I realized almost too late that I hadn't put my gloves on. I reached over to the table where they were, holding the axe in the crook of my elbow where my sleeve protected my arm. I thought of taking the axe out as that would be the logical thing, but it was already starting to get red and I didn't want to have to start the heating process all over again; it was so painstaking in the first place.

I reached a little further, but they were just far enough for me not to be able to grab them. The next moment happened so quickly I could barely believe that it had happened at all.

The door opened and I jumped, successfully grabbing the gloves, but the axe flipped up out of my elbow and I fell to the floor, the weight having tethered me slightly in that direction. My head smacked against the ground and I instinctively covered my face with my hands. The axe flipped up, about to fall on top of me but I didn't have anywhere to grab it. I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

Impact? Where was my impact?

"For goodness sake Raena!" I looked up to see Thorin standing above me, gloved and holding the axe above my head. I braced myself again, this time mentally. I had been an idiot and Thorin was going to make sure I knew that. "Are you okay?" he asked and set the axe down on the anvil, grabbing my arms and helping me to my feet. He held my at an arm's length by my shoulders, looking into my eyes intently. "Are you okay?" he prodded again.

"Uh," I looked at the axe on the anvil, now cooling, "I'm fine," I said and grabbed the axe, Thorin letting go of my shoulders. "You just surprised me is all," I said and stuck the axe in the fire, putting my gloves on as it began to heat again.

Thorin stood next to me, still looking at my face. "Are you sure you're okay? I apologize for surprising you…" he paused, "you fell pretty hard. Do you want me to take over?" he asked, but I was rather adamant about fixing this axe correctly.

"No, I need to fix something on it," I said, more adamancy coming out than I had expected. Perhaps I had fallen harder than I thought. I glanced at Thorin who looked more concerned than most days, but also confused by my rudeness. "I'm sorry," I said, "I don't know why I said it like that. I just noticed something wrong with it last night and I wanted to come in to fix it this morning," I said.

"Tell me what's wrong, I'll fix it," he said and went to take the axe. I jerked it slightly away, not even thinking before I did so. Why was I acting so weird?

Thorin looked at me and seemed to notice something in my hair. "You're bleeding," he said and took off one of his gloves, touching the side of my head carefully. I flinched away and he looked at me, perplexed and slightly annoyed. "I'm just trying to help you," he said and I relaxed from my tense position.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm not sure why I'm…" I trailed off as the room had begun to tilt to the left. A pounding headache greeted me right between the eyes and my vision went in and out of focus.

"Raena…?" Thorin said and took the axe from my hands, placing it on the anvil again. My knees buckled and the room tilted more. I closed my eyes and collapsed into Thorin's arms. He pulled out the chair beside the table and sat me in it, kneeling beside me and looking at my head. I let him turn my head toward him. My eyes blinked open for a moment as he looked at me.

"Don't move," he commanded. I wasn't planning on it, but I sighed in agreement. I closed my eyes again, feeling utterly wiped then. My head pounded and I wasn't thinking straight. It hurt to think, which was probably not good. My heartbeat pounded through my ears and I didn't hear Thorin approach. He pressed a warm, wet cloth to the side of my head and I slumped a bit farther into the chair. I felt like going to sleep and relaxed my eyes a bit.

"Raena, I need you to stay awake," he said and my eyebrows creased in disagreement. "I think you have a concussion and I don't want you to fall asleep or… just don't fall asleep," he said and straightened me up in the chair. "Look at me," he said.

I was too tired to realize that doing so made it harder for me to sleep. I opened my eyes and looked at Thorin. He was kneeling beside me again, wiping blood from the side of my head. He wasn't looking me in the eyes, but I continued looking at him.

"Don't you look away," he said, glancing at me as he padded the place just above my right ear.

"I just want to go to sleep," I said and realized that I sounded rather drunk. I wasn't drunk at all; I didn't drink alcohol, something that many dwarves teased me about. But if I wasn't drunk, then what the heck was I?

Thorin stood up and I followed him with my eyes. "We're going to the infirmary," he said and helped me to my feet slowly. "Can you walk?" he asked but my knees buckled again. My head was pounding. There was a hair in my mouth. My vision was reduced to incomprehensible shapes and colors. The fire seemed to crackle too loudly. Had I forgotten to open the flue? It smelled too much like smoke and it seemed to choke me. Was Thorin saying words to me? Was I even standing on my own feet? Thorin was really close to me. I'm sure his mouth was moving. Why was my arm in the air? Was I falling? Oh, I was falling! There was pressure on my waist and I was rising again. I swear, Thorin was saying something to me. I tried to see what Thorin was trying to say to me but I had little idea what was going on anymore and decided to just close my eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

I curled into a ball and turned onto my side as I seemed to be lying down. I pulled the blankets closer to my face and breathed a pleasantly clean scent. I yawned and opened my eyes.

My eyebrows screwed up as I was greeted with unfamiliar surroundings. "Thorin?" I said and he whipped around to face me. He stood beside the door, leaning against the doorjamb but came toward me then.

"Mother of the Miner, I thought you were-" he caught himself, "not going to wake up for a while longer," he recovered and knelt beside me again. I sat up, feeling significantly better than I had before I fell asleep. I looked down at Thorin, a new experience. I had only ever been below him.

_Symbolism, _I thought groggily. I was feeling better but I was still tired and not quite in the right mind regardless.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"A lot better than I was," I said and looked around. "Where are we?" I asked.

"The infirmary," he said and I looked around the room. It was far too grand to be an infirmary. The backboard of the bed was obviously hand carved and there were personal items on the dresser near the bathroom door.

"No we're not," I said and looked back at Thorin, still confused. "Why are you lying to me?" I asked.

He seemed to squirm in his skin for a moment. He wrung his hands and stood up. "Because… because you're not exactly allowed to be back here and I was just hoping that if I didn't tell you, you wouldn't be cross with me if you found out I had forced you to break some rules…"

"What are you talking about? What is this place?" I asked.

"My chambers," he said quietly. "I didn't want those infirmary dwarves taking care of you, so… I brought you to my personal medic," he said and I glanced around.

"Where's he?" I asked.

"He was just getting something to wake you, but I suppose he won't need that anymore."

I eyed him suspiciously. "Are you still lying to me?" I asked.

"No! I swear to the All-Mother, I'm not lying this time," he said. "I just want you to get better."

"How long has it been?" I asked and pulled the sheets up around my neck again, the draft penetrating into my very bones.

"Only a few hours," he said and paced for a moment, then came back to me and pulled up a chair, sitting down. "I'm sorry," he said.

"For what? You didn't mean to surprise me, and it's not that big of a deal anyway. It's only, what, a minor concussion?" I asked. Thorin seemed to agree with me slightly, but it was obvious that he still felt bad about surprising me. A small part of me (the part that still wasn't warm toward Thorin) wanted to agree with him that it was his fault, but then again… without him I also would have suffered much worse injuries. I shouldn't have been reaching so far for my gloves, so it was really my fault.

"Well yes, but it was my coming in that surprised you," he said.

"Thorin, just…" I trailed off. "It's all okay and it was just a combination of both of our actions. I refuse to argue anymore about it with you," I said and he looked slightly shamefully at the bed sheets. I didn't take my eyes off of him, waiting for him to agree. He glanced up at me and did a double take when he realized I was looking at him for an answer. I raised my eyebrows.

"Alright," he said. "We'll share the blame… but I still feel bad," he said.

"You can feel as bad as you like, just as long as you don't argue with me about it," I said, realizing too late that I was coming off a little strong. Thorin looked at me fascinated before shaking his head smiling.

"You're still nutty," he said and I smiled.

"I know," I said which made him laugh.

"I don't think I'll ever understand you, Raena Marblefounder," he said and I shrugged.

"You and me both," I said.

He didn't seem amused and I swallowed, looking down embarrassedly. He stood up. "Get some more rest," he said and kissed my forehead. I was stunned by the rather irrational decision on his part and when he leaned away, it was obvious that he too hadn't expected to do that himself. His face was full of surprise, and almost horror. I wasn't sure if he was horrified at having kissed me or at how I would feel.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to-"

"No you didn't," I cut him off, being slightly offended. Did he think he could just do whatever he wanted with me because he was the prince? I had the small urge to smack him. It wasn't as if I didn't already feel like he was taking advantage of me.

"Raena," he said and it was obvious that he was worried of somebody finding out. Of course I wouldn't tell anybody though. The repercussions for me were likely to be more than his. "Please… forget that happened," he pled.

"I'm not going to tell anybody," I retorted. "But do it again and you'll lose your blacksmith," I said.

He looked at me gratefully with a small smile which only angered me more.

"Don't smile at me," I snapped.

He immediately wiped the look off of his face, but then had a couple of prideful thoughts go through his head and came back with an equally as nasty response. "I'll do what I please while I'm in my own chambers. I am the one in line for the throne, so I best not hear any lip from you again," he said, taking power of the situation again, "or you _will_ lose the job and I think we both know how much you need it," he jabbed. He stood a little taller and went back to the door as I tried to think of a comeback. He went through the frame, pulling it closed.

"We'll see who's talking when the king's axe looks like a human made it," I called but the door slammed halfway through my unsuccessfully comeback. I wasn't sure where that put us on a scale of friendliness, but I was sure it wasn't going to be high for at least the next couple of days.

Weeks passed in which the numbers on the 'friendliness scale' slowly moved up. It was four weeks later (nearly four whole units up) before the next most memorable experience. I was in the shop, waiting for Thorin to show up. He had asked me not to start without him so that he could see everything that I did; he seemed to actually want to learn something. I stood by the fire, warming my hands.

It wasn't long before I heard the door open behind me and I turned to look at Thorin. "Took you long enough…" I trailed off. The door was open, but there wasn't anyone there. "Thorin?" I asked and stood up, looking out the open door. There didn't appear to be anyone there, but I could hear feet scurrying about. "Hello? Who's there?" I asked, my eyes darting around for something to use as a weapon. Of course, there were weapons nearly everywhere and I approached the table, ready to grab something as soon as I needed to.

"Bah!" a tiny voice beneath me cried. I jumped and looked down. A small child was wrapping his arms around my legs. He looked up at me excitedly and grabbed at my hands which had flown to the table and grabbed tools from it. I put them down and reached down, picking up the small boy and laughing at my surprise. I settled him on my waist and he stuck his hands in my hair. His own was long and dark already, even for such a young boy.

"Well hello!" I said. "What's your name?" I asked.

"Kili," he said, busy playing with my hair.

"Is that right?" I said, mostly to myself. "Where's your mum, Kili?" I asked and he shrugged.

"I don't know," he said and leaned in to my ear, cupping his tiny hand around my ear. "I'm hiding from her," he said and I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Is that so?" I asked.

He nodded and I laughed. He put one of his little index fingers on my lips and the other on his own.

"Shh! I don't want her to hear," he whispered loudly.

"Oh, sorry," I whispered and he wriggled, beckoning for me to let him down. I put him down on the ground and he pulled me down behind the table.

"Do you know where he is?" he whispered, an intense look on his face.

"Who?"

"The Bearded One," he said and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. "I think he got Fili but I don't know where he is," he said.

"I don't know where he is either… perhaps we should go look for him?" I suggested.

Kili's eyes widened and he shook his head. "We can't look for him! He'll take us away and… and torture us," he said, getting more and more worried. "We can't. We can't. Fili will have to get out of this one himself," he said and I laughed. Such a small boy could only have learned such language from someone older than himself.

"Shh!" he said again, covering my mouth. He suddenly stopped and peered over the top of the table, listening. "I think he's coming!" he said and crouched down, making him extra small.

I heard boots coming from the hallway. Who was he talking about anyway? The Bearded One? Everyone had beards around here. I only hoped his words about torture were facetious.

He went around to the end of the table and looked around it. I followed him but he backtracked, putting his back flat against the table leg. His head was a good inch from the top still, despite him standing upright.

"Kili, run!" another small voice came from the hallway.

"Hey, no talking," a deep voice sounded.

Kili looked at me, his eyes wider than ever before and his mouth hanging open in astonishment.

"He found us," Kili mouthed and looked terrified.

"I'm going to get you, Kili! And when I do, I'll throw you in a pot with your brother and boil you for my breakfast," the deep voice said.

Kili shook his head, his eyes wide and mouth making a perfect 'o'. "We've gotta run," he whispered as the boots came inside to room and stopped in the doorway. "We've gotta get out," he whispered, his face full of worry.

"Okay, I'll distract him and you run," I said. Whether he was really a threat or not, I thought this sounded like a good plan.

"No," he said, grabbing my hand, "we're both getting out of here alive," he said.

"Kili, get out of here!" the second little voice said. "There's no hope for me; save yourself!"

"What did I say about talking?" the deep voice sounded. I wasn't sure whether to be terrified or amused. "You'll pay for that!" it said.

"Kili, go while you still can!" the little voice said. He yelled for a moment as the deep voice said taunting words. Then the little voice burst into laughter. The deep voice cackled as the little voice laughed and laughed.

"He's torturing him!" Kili said. "Not my brother you big oaf!" Kili yelled and ran out from behind the table. I followed him, scooping him up immediately as he ran into the open.

"No Kili," the little boy chortled, "save yourself!"

"You heard the boy," I said to Kili and stood up, looking immediately to see who the intruders were.

Thorin held Fili under his arm, tickling him and laughing his own self. I smiled as he looked up.

"Go!" Fili laughed, holding out the word until he didn't have any more air to supply it. I sprinted for the door, now aware that this was just a game; a harmless activity. Of course I knew what would happen whether I got to the door or not. Thorin hoisted Fili up with one arm and stuck out the other, grabbing me and pulling both me and Kili into him.

"No!" Kili yelled but Thorin had his arms wrapped around us all. He took Kili from me carefully and threw him over his shoulder. Kili beat at his back and Fili at his legs.

"Let go of me!" Fili cried.

"You brute!" Kili yelled. I laughed and Thorin joined me. He put the boys down at our feet and crouched down to them.

They laughed and giggled, each grabbing onto one of Thorin's shoulders and hugging him. He beamed at the two of them.

"Now, where's your mother?" he asked and they looked mischievously at each other. The existing smile on my face grew wider and I bit my lip out of habit. The boys shrugged and Kili put his head on Thorin's shoulder. Thorin picked him up as he stood and Fili stayed clinging to his leg. Thorin held one of his hands with a couple of his fingers.

"These are my nephews, Fili and Kili," he said and each one turned their head in embarrassment when he said their names. Thorin was looking at me, still beaming, eyes seeming almost to sparkle.

"Boys, do you know this woman?" he asked them and Fili shook his head, but Kili nodded.

"She was my only ally after you took Fili," he said and I laughed.

"Do you know her name?" Thorin chuckled.

Kili thought for a moment. "Umm..." he shook his head, "no," he said and looked at me.

"This is Raena," Thorin said. "She's my friend."

"Oh," Kili said. "I thought she was just a pretty lady," he said and Thorin smiled.

"Well," Thorin's gaze turned to me, "she's that, too."

I blushed intensely and tried to find a reason to look away from Thorin, who was still smiling at me. The boys continued to squirm about as children do. I looked down to Fili who was looking rather embarrassed.

"I don't think we've met," I said.

Fili looked up at Thorin for permission almost and Thorin nodded. Fili bent over deep and stood back up. "Fili at your service," he said and I smiled.

"And Raena at yours," I said, curtsying. "You have very nice manners for such a small boy," I said and he blushed, hanging onto Thorin's leg again.

"Let's find your mum, shall we?" Thorin suggested and Kili squirmed for Thorin to put him down. Kili ran over to me just as soon as his feet touched the floor.

"I want to stay with Raena," he said and grabbed at my arms. I picked the little boy up again and held him on my hip. He put his head on my shoulder and made puppy dog eyes at his uncle. "Please? I want to learn how to make weapons," he said, looking around and using his grand powers of observation to see that that is what I did.

"Me, too!" Fili piped up and ran to me, making grabby hands at my arm as well. I picked up the little blonde boy in my right arm and balanced him on that hip. "I want to make weapons with Raena!" he said.

I laughed. "Blacksmithing is a very dangerous job and I wouldn't want you boys to get hurt, okay?" The two looked at me heartbroken making it nearly impossible for me to pass them up. They just wanted to try something new. "But I'll tell you what," I said, "if you can get permission from your mother, maybe you can come in another time," I said quietly to the two of them and their faces lit up again.

"Will you teach me how to make a sword?" Fili asked, bouncing up and down in my arms.

"And I want," Fili said, then leaned in to whisper in my ear, "a bow," he said. "You have to teach me how!" he said, smiling.

"Okay, okay, but we have to get permission from your mum first, remember?" I said.

The boys looked at each other. They didn't seem too keen on the subject of asking their mother anything. I had a feeling she wasn't the tolerant kind of mother, and seeing as she was part of the royal bloodline, she probably wanted prim and proper children. Unfortunately for her, she'd ended up with a couple of goofballs.

"She'll probably say no," Fili sulked and Kili sighed. "It's too dangerous," he said.

"I really just want a bow," Kili said and huffed, putting his head back on my shoulder.

"And a sword," said Fili, following suit.

I looked at Thorin who had folded his arms and was smiling, shaking his head. I had a feeling that he was probably the reason the boys were so rowdily inclined.

"We'll just have to see what your mother says," I said and they frowned more. "And even if she says no, I'll make them for you myself," I whispered and they both smiled again. "But just keep that between you and me," I said.

"Okay, we won't tell anyone," Kili said and put a finger over his lips and Fili's.

"Gross, don't touch me," Fili said and I chuckled.

"Fili! Kili!" a shrill voice came from the hallway. Thorin peeked out and blew out a breath.

"Speaking of," he said and a pale dwarf woman appeared behind him. He moved out of her way and she barged into the room, looking astounded at Fili and Kili as I held them.

"Fili and Kili!" she said angrily. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked. "Get away from that woman; you'll get ash on your clothes!" she said. I put the children down feeling slightly offended by the woman's words. "Do you even know her?" she asked.

"We do know her mom; she's our friend," Fili and Kili said as their mother straightened their collars and wiped nonexistent dirt from their shoulders.

"Dis, it's nothing to worry about, they were just playing," Thorin said but she stood up to her full height and pointed a finger at him.

"And you! You're always running off with my kids, encouraging them to... to roughhouse and... and talk to strangers!" she said and turned back to the boys. "You shouldn't talk to strangers," she scolded them, "especially not blacksmiths!" This last comment I took great offense to.

"Now wait just a moment, you can insult me all you want but don't go insulting my friends," Thorin said, walking over to me as if his physical protection would guard from emotional attacks.

"She's your friend? No wonder my children are so misbehaved: hanging around you all the time when you're with... with filthy miners," she said, not only insulting me, but her children as well.

"Don't blame the children for liking their uncle, especially when he's already proved himself to be a better parent," I fired and bit my tongue. Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?

"You take that back Dis," Thorin said, completely ignoring the fact that I had said anything. "You take that all back right now. Your children deserve better," he spat and Dis huffed in disgust.

"Just because you're heir to the throne doesn't mean you're better than me," she said. "Come along boys, before we all catch some ghastly disease," she said, giving the place a disgusted once over with her eyes.

Fili and Kili looked at me sadly and waved tiny goodbyes. I waved back and blew a kiss before the door slammed closed behind them.

We listened to Dis scold the poor boys all the way down the hallway. It was several moments before her angry words couldn't be heard through the door. I tried not to imagine the boys' faces as their irate mother dragged them away. It almost made me cry thinking about the little boys, but I could tell from what I knew about them already that they would be up to mischief again in no time.

The hallway was silent again as well as the room. I leaned back on the table and sighed. I grabbed a bunch of my hair in the back and scratched my head, still in thought about Dis and Fili and Kili.

"I'm sorry," Thorin said after a moment and I looked at him, my eyebrows screwed up. What had he to be sorry about? "My sister and I don't exactly get along," he said. He circled the table and stood beside the fire, warming his hands as I had been. "Aren't you cold?" he asked.

Of course I was cold; it was always cold. I was tempted to say the words out loud but knew that was only because I was still infuriated by Thorin's disrespectful sister. I wondered how her children had turned out so well when she was so rotten. I sighed, trying to calm down, and joined Thorin at the fire.

I stood a bit back, not wanting to crowd Thorin, but he glanced back at me and took my hand, pulling me closer to him and the fire. "You'll never get warm back there," he said and blew on his hands, rubbing them together for the friction. I did the same, my mind still on the boys.

Wasn't it a shame that such innocent creatures as young boys were being brought up by such a monster! I stopped my thoughts in their tracks. Perhaps I was judging her a bit too soon. Perhaps they really were little devils; I had had my own experience with that concerning my little brother. Still, I didn't think it was acceptable to act the way she had. She had called me filthy among other things. That was inappropriate whether her children had been there or not. I resolved to make them a bow and sword if it was the last thing I did.

"I'm sorry if she offended you," Thorin said. "She doesn't have a filter," he said and laughed solemnly.

Whether she had a filter or not didn't matter. I had never met anyone as rude as I just had. It was a miracle that Thorin wasn't worse, considering his upbringing with her as an older sister. I wondered if she had been like that since the beginning or if it came with children. I surely hoped it didn't come with children as I was hoping myself to have a couple one day.

"Did you mean what you said about my parenting?" Thorin asked.

Of course I had meant it! But I blushed, realizing that perhaps, even though she was being a prat that she was his sister and he might be at least a tiny bit offended by my saying she was a crap mother. Of course, I could have said it simple because of the heat of the argument and the rage from being slighted… but Thorin had looked so happy with the children and he knew just what to say to make them smile. They really did love him and even a fool could have seen that he loved them back.

"For goodness sake Raena, say something, will you?" Thorin said, a bit of apprehension in his voice.

"Oh," I said, realizing that I hadn't been saying anything out loud. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking," I said. "I suppose I was a little brash in saying that, but the boys did seem to like you better than her," I said. "I suppose that's not all that parenting involves, but I was just angry. I'm sorry, I sometimes forget how to hold my tongue," I finished.

Thorin laughed and I looked at him.

"And for all this time I thought you were the perfect little dwarf lady; not an angry thought in your mind," he said.

I thought for a moment and realized that I really never had said anything offensive in his presence, although I had thought many things that wouldn't exactly be publicly accepted.

"I'd put sailors to shame if I said half of the things I thought," I said.

Thorin laughed again, really laughed, still looking at me. "I think I like it better that way," he said and stepped away from the fire, putting his gloves on. He turned to me and put a hand under my chin to kiss my forehead.

He pulled back, surprised at himself again as he had been previously.

"That's twice," I said, expecting him to come back with some clever 'we'll forget about it' remark, but that's hardly what I got.

"I know," he said and grabbed the axe from the table as if it wasn't a big deal.


End file.
